I took a breath, swallowing the lump in my throat, my hand shaking as I reached out for her. I couldn’t promise her that—not with the shit we’d been through, not with the mess inside me. But I knew what I could promise.
“I can promise I’ll always come back to you,” I said, and thewords felt like a vow, even if it wasn’t the one she was asking for.
She exhaled, nodding, holding me a little tighter. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, we’d be okay.
We moved past the tension into something softer. Nina’s smile was a breath of fresh air, her joy filling the room. She ran her fingers over the fabrics, eyes lighting up at the sewing machine. When she looked at me, there was love in her gaze.
She looked at me, her lips curling into a grin. “I love everything, Ronan. You really went all out.” Her voice was teasing, but there was sincerity there too. She was happy, and that’s all that mattered.
“You deserve it,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, but I could feel the rawness beneath it. She deserved more.Always.
She moved to the table, running her fingers across the clothes rack and picking out a jacket she’d been talking about for weeks. Holding it up, she flashed me a grin. “What do you think?”
I smiled, my heart pounding. “You look perfect, as always.”
She laughed, light and sweet, and for a moment, I let go of the guilt that had been gnawing at me. Tonight, I wanted to be the man she saw, the man she wanted, and the one she deserved.
We sat down to eat spaghetti, even if it was a disaster. She ate it like it was the best thing ever, and that was enough.
We moved on to cake, simple but perfect for the night. She eyed me playfully. “Did you actually bake this yourself?”
“Not exactly,” I admitted, “but it’s all yours, birthday girl.”
I pulled the cake toward us, setting it in front of her, the candles flickering in the soft glow of the room. Her face lit up as she took in the sight of it, and I swear, in that moment, I felt the weight of everything we’d been through melt away.
“Make a wish,” I said, my voice low.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and I watched her, trying to hold onto the moment, to the woman I loved.
She blew out the candles, her breath steady, her eyes still locked on me.
“Thank you,bello,69” she said, her hand reaching out to touch mine. Her fingers were warm, delicate against my skin. “This means more than you know.”
“I want you to be happy, Nina. I’ll do whatever it takes.” The words came out with a rawness I hadn’t expected, but they felt right.
She smiled, a small, tender curve of her lips. “I know, and I want you to be happy, too.”
I squeezed her hand, trying to keep the darkness from creeping back in. I felt like maybe I wasn’t lost after all.
Chapter Thirty-seven
NINA
Present Day
NEW YORK CITY
Four hours.
Four fucking hours.
That was how long I’ve been sitting up in my bed, unable to escape the thoughts of Ronan swirling relentlessly in my mind.
The date. His lips.
How he electrified me, how effortlessly he stirred desire within me, and how he left me spinning in a whirlwind of emotions.
His romantic gestures had slipped from my memory—like the sign made from peony petals, displaying only my two favorite gelato flavors, specifically labeled “gelato” because he knew Idespised the term “ice cream.” Fifty flavors, but only the ones I love were named “gelato.”
